How to Start a Planner Instagram in 5 Easy Steps

How to Start a Planner Instagram in 5 Easy Steps

How to Start a Planner Instagram in 5 Easy Steps
Any proper planner addict should have their own planner related Instagram profile. Whether or not you combine it with your “personal” account is up to you, but having a place to share your spreads and seek feedback is another element to the planner community. Don’t have one yet? Here are five easy steps to get started.
1. Pick a planner related name. That way your Instagram can be found easier when other planner people are exploring for new feeds. Something like “planlikekim” or “kimplansalot” work! 
2. Post consistently. At first your feed won’t get much traction, but if you post consistently once a day or every other day, your profile will start to gain more traction and exposure.
3. Use hashtags to help your posts get found. Be sure to mix them up from post to post so Instagram doesn’t think you’re spamming. Use hashtags like #plannercommunity, #planneraddict, #erincondren, and others depending on what planner you’re using.

4. Bright lighting. I mean this one should probably be the only rule with Instagram posts. Keep your photos bright. The easiest way to do this is to put down a white piece of paper next to a window. Take photos of your planner in bright, natural light. No one wants to look at dark photos!

5. Follow fellow planner Instagrams and comment on their posts. The best way to gain a following is to become active in the community. Follow other planner Instagram accounts and comment on their posts. Engage with them and they’ll undoubtedly engage with you! Being an active member of whatever community you’re using Instagram for is imperative to having success in growing a following.
It’s super easy to get your Instagram for your planning up and running! Let me know what your Instagram handle is in the comments so I can go follow you!

5 Reasons I Love the Day Designer Planner

5 Reasons I Love the Day Designer Planner

5 Reasons I Love the Day Designer Planner
There’s a full review blog post on The Day Designer planner a few posts back, but I wanted to share five reasons why I’m completely in love with this planner and how it’s completely taken over my planning routine. It’s a good’un.

5 Reasons I Love the Day Designer Planner
The next week at a glance at the bottom of the weekend page is something I didn’t know my planning routine was missing. It’s revolutionary. I love being able to see what’s coming up in the next week. It helps with my end of the week anxiety over what’s to come plus helps me get more prepared in the process. It makes the week feel much more manageable. 

5 Reasons I Love the Day Designer Planner
Back when I used a weekly planner, hourly layouts were my jam. So the daily hour slots to write in appointments are right up my alley. I added this planner back into my routine because I had a lot more appointments piling up that previous months. I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss anything and I love how easy it is to mark when I have something with a time attached to it.
If I had a particularly unproductive day I love being able to just turn the page, let it go, and move on. Weekly views tend to pile up on me and make me feel like I’m not getting anything done. A daily planner makes it easy to put a crappy day in the past and get more done the next day.
I also really like the notes section on each page. It’s another section that I didn’t expect I would use as much as I do. I write packing lists, custom stickers I need to design, and random notes throughout the day. This planner just makes me feel like I don’t have to be perfect. I can scribble things here and there and the next day I have a fresh, clean spread to tackle.

5 Reasons I Love the Day Designer Planner
Because I can just turn the page to a clean start every two days, the Day Designer lets me mix up my planning style. Sometimes I’ll plan out my entire day down to the hour, other days I’ll write a to do list and call it good. I love the flexibility.
Oh, Day Designer. Did I just write you a love letter? You bet I did.

Why You Should Create an Essentials List in Your Planner

Why You Should Create an Essentials List in Your Planner

Why You Should Create an Essentials List in Your Planner
First thing’s first. You may be thinking, “What the heck is an essentials list anyway?!” It’s a list of all of the essential tangible things in your life that if your house caught on fire, you’d try to save first if your family and pets were already safe. The items that bring you joy, that hold sentimental value, and matter to you above everything else. So why should you have one?
It helps you put your life into perspective. To really see what actually matters to you at the end of the day. You’ll be surprised at what ends up on the list, but even more with what doesn’t. And it makes you have this sense of freedom. Like you aren’t tied to all the material crap that builds up in your house and overflows from closets (just me?!) You know exactly what matters to you at the end of the day and the rest doesn’t matter.
It also helps you stop frivolous spending. You are so much more aware of the types of things that really matter to you that you’ll think twice before making an impulse purchase in the dollar section of Target. My impulse purchases are almost non-existent now. I always think back to this list and ask myself, “Will what I want to buy end up going on my essentials list or not? And does it matter to me if it doesn’t end up on the list?” Sometimes we all need to have a planner sticker shopping spree every now and again…we’re human after all.
So sit down for ten to fifteen minutes and write up your essentials list. What would you pack into a van if you suddenly decided to abandon your current life and start a new one? What material things matter the most? I’d love to hear what ends up on your list in the comments if you’re willing to share!
What to Do if You’re the Youngest Person in Your Workplace

What to Do if You’re the Youngest Person in Your Workplace

What to Do if You're the Youngest Person in Your Workplace
Now I know I work for myself, but stay with me here. My husband Alex and I are the youngest people in our neighborhood and work networks. When people discovered our ages a few months after meeting us, we could physically feel the air change in the room. Age is tied to experience and that’s not necessarily always true. So here’s what you can do to navigate being the youngest person in your workplace.
Put your work forward, not your age. We intentionally avoided telling neighbors and work colleagues our ages. For one, it shouldn’t matter (even though it does), but two, we let our work speak for us. You’re going to feel like you have something to prove, so prove it. Generations stereotype, so put your head down and break the classic “lazy” or “entitled” stereotypes will impressing your boss at work in the process.
Find things in common with your colleagues so they stop seeing your differences first. Do you like the same music as someone in your office? Did you grow up in the same small town? Find common interests to build a relationship beyond the superficial.
Don’t take the age comments too seriously. A friend or work acquaintance will make a comment like, “Oh you’re too young to know who that is” or “You weren’t even born when that came out!” Oftentimes that’s their insecurities being projected onto you. It’s often hard for people to accept that someone younger is at the same point in life as they are. 
Avoid age references. The other side of the coin is just as true. No one wants their older age to be pointed out. Avoid the “you don’t know what Snapchat is?!” comments. Trust me. That’s now how you make friends.
There are going to be those people who just can’t get over the age difference. It’s unfortunate, but it’s also not your problem. Be proud of your personal successes while not rubbing them in anyone’s face. Work hard and be kind.